Some two-thirds of companies where it is possible to work both at home and at the office will continue to do so, according to new research by national statistics agency CBS.

The research, based on figures collected from a wide variety of sources, show that large firms – those with more than 250 workers – are most likely to be gearing up towards some form of permanent hybrid working.

Three quarters of big firms say they are moving in this direction and 56% plan to actively stimulate it.

Smaller firms, accounting for some 60% of Dutch jobs, also see hybrid working continuing, but only 34% say they plan to encourage it directly, the CBS survey showed.

Companies focusing on information and communication are most likely to go for home working, as are real estate companies and specialist business service firms like advertising and administration.

However, some 28% of firms say that their operations do not lend themselves to hybrid working for most staff.

Research published in October showed a clear majority of workers – 74% – want to keep the hybrid form of working which developed during the pandemic, saying shorter travel times and flexible working hours are the main advantages.

Just 10% of people currently working at home say they would like to stop doing so.

Costs

An increasing number of employers are also giving their staff expenses for working at home, according to a survey of 450 companies by employers advice group AWVN which was published in July.

More than half of the survey’s respondents said they now made home working payments, ranging from €26 to €43 a month, compared with just 20% six months ago.

Family spending institute Nibud calculated earlier that working from home costs around €2 a day.

The government’s current advice is for people to work at home unless they cannot avoid going to the office.